


Kindness and Mischief

by icybluepenguin



Series: Prompt Experiments [5]
Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee, Fluff, Gen, Kindness, Mischief, being nice to each other, pay it forward, taking care of each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 18:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16561211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icybluepenguin/pseuds/icybluepenguin
Summary: Loki owns the Kindness & Mischief coffee shop, which sells seeds to ruin perfect lawns and a pay-it-forward wall for anyone to use.  Less of a "story" and more of a mood.  Being kind to each other and petty acts of resistance.





	Kindness and Mischief

**Author's Note:**

> I started this on election day to distract myself. And I still need some fluffy distraction. @be-a-snake-stab-your-brother posted [these great pictures of a coffee shop named Kindness and Mischief](http://pedeka.tumblr.com/post/179434952857/so-i-found-the-best-coffee-shop-ever-today-and-my) and this is kind of what I think Loki running that coffee shop would look like. It’s not even really a “story,” just kind of a mood of taking care of each other. And coffee.

Even at four in the morning, the whirr and click of the e-lock opening always gave him a thrill. **  
**

He didn’t turn on the overhead lights as he grabbed a bag of beans on his way to the counter. He poured in fresh water and flipped the switch on the espresso machine.

Coffee first, lights after.

Opening shift was the first one he assigned his assistant manager. Being the boss had to have some benefits. But since her daughter was home sick today, so was she.

The grinder sounded like it was chewing up a spoon, extra loud in the silent shop. Loki patted it as he pulled out the aromatic grounds. It had the most consistent grind he’d found, despite the noise. He leaned on the tamper, the rounded handle pressing into his palm just right.

Snap the portafilter into place, flip the switch, listen to the water gurgle and percolate into the shot glass. He closed his eyes and inhaled. Dark, rich, oaky. His favorite beans.

He didn’t bother with a cup, just sipped the crema off the top straight from the glass. As much as he hated waking up this early, he loved the quiet. It gave him a chance to take a proud breath, surveying his lovely kingdom before the day began.

Espresso downed, he turned on the lights and got to work. Bring in the bakery delivery, unstack the chairs from the table tops.  Jamie arrived as he was unchaining the outdoor furniture. She arranged the pastry display and hand-lettered the labels and the sign for the specials while he loaded the cash register and booted up the card reader.

Soon the doors were open and customers were trickling in for their caffeine fix. Loki greeted the ones he knew with a friendly smile and made small talk with new people as he took their orders.

“What are you going to do with this, Matt?” He rang up an order for a macchiato, a pound of beans, and a packet of dandelion seeds.

Matt grinned, spinning the bag in his hands. “Mom’s new neighbor is being an asshole about her apple tree. I thought maybe some yellow would brighten up his perfect grass.”

Loki nodded. Perhaps he shouldn’t encourage such pettiness, but he loved to see people use nature as a weapon. He sold dandelion, mint, and bamboo seeds, perfect for scattering on offending lawns. The shop “library”- a small bookshelf, really- had books on grafting fruiting plants to non-fruiting ones and other acts of bio-resistance.  No one got hurt, exactly, but the image of a pompous jerk having to battle aggressive, scraggly mint from taking over his yard made his heart happy.

He was pulling a double shot when a group of teenagers tumbled through the door.  He liked teenagers and he switched places with Micah so that he could run the register.  They lined up, giggling and chatting with each other, politely ordering drinks ranging from blended cupcake frosting to enough black caffeine to give someone his age a heart attack.  One kid was hanging back at the end of the line, shaking their head at their friend.

“Are you sure?” their friend asked, looking back as they got to the counter.  “I’ve got enough.

The kid shook their head again.

“Okay, then, I’ll just have a banana muffin and a small drip.”

Then it was their turn.  “Just ice water, please.”

“You want to grab a note?  I won’t tell.”  Loki tilted his head towards the wall painted with chalkboard paint and covered with all sorts of post-it notes under Jamie’s bright chalk lettering declaring “Pay It Forward.”  Anyone who needed a drink or pastry could grab one. His lovely customers always made sure the wall was full.

Another head shake.  Loki looked them over as he scooped ice into a cup.  He had a sixth sense about these sorts of things.  “How about a job then?”

They looked at Loki with shock.  “Thank you, really, but I don’t know anything about coffee.”

“I bet you know a thing or two about dishes  And if you  _really_  hate it here, because we  _are_  awful, my baker is always looking for help.”

Taking the cup of water from Loki, they looked around the shop, then dropped their head back down, defeated.  “No car.”

Micah piped up from behind the espresso machine.  “Loki pays for everyone to have a bus pass.”

“Think about it,” Loki said, sliding his card across the counter.  “What’s your name?”

The kid froze with a look of panic.  “I… uh… you can call me…”

Loki nodded sympathetically. “Hey, you know, there’s a book of names over on the shelf.  We annotated it too, always adding stuff.  Check it out and email me if you want the job.  Sign it ‘Ice Water.’”  He winked.  “I’ll know it’s you.”

He watched the kid join their friends, card slid into their back pocket.  

Loki loved his kingdom.

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven’t seen this post about how terribly aggressive mint is, you’re missing out: [What is wrong with mint](https://elodieunderglass.tumblr.com/post/162211730648/what-is-wrong-with-mint-and-mint-relatives-thank)  
> [The real Kindness and Mischief Coffee](http://pedeka.tumblr.com/post/179434952857/so-i-found-the-best-coffee-shop-ever-today-and-my)


End file.
